FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee failed Monday to override the commissioners’ nearly $2.9 million jail budget by a vote of 5-3 at the county courthouse.
It would have taken a 6-2 vote to override.
It is the only budget that had the committee’s 5% wage increase for nonunion employees, excluding part-time elected positions, reduced to 3%.
The commissioners’ budget included $158,000 for a backup generator for the jail. The committee’s budget of $2.7 million did not include the generator.
Voting to override the commissioners’ jail budget were Morgan Dunham of Kingfield, Gary McGrane of Jay, John Archer of Chesterville, Steve Bunker of Farmington and Chairperson Tiffany Maiuri of Wilton.
Maiuri said the generator is needed for the jail but without a current audit she didn’t know if there was money available.
Voting against overriding the budget were Bob Luce of Carrabassett Valley, Janet White of Phillips and Tom Goding of Jay.
Member Matthew Smith of Farmington was absent.
The nine-member budget committee is made up of selectmen in their respective towns.
Prior to the vote, McGrane asked if there would be money available in the county’s undesignated fund to pay for the backup generator.
County Administrator Amy Bernard said she believed there would be $158,000 in the undesignated fund available to cover it but it is hard to tell without an audit.
Commissioners had failed June 6 to override the committee’s votes on each department that included a 5% increase for nonunion employees with the exception of the jail. Those votes were all 2-1. It takes an unanimous vote of the three commissioners to send a budget back to the committee.
No further action can be taken on the committee’s $6.5 million county government or on the commissioners $2.9 million jail budget.
Factoring in revenues, the county budget is $5.8 million.
Adding revenues to the $2.9 million jail budget brings it to nearly $2.6 million.
The overall spending plan including the jail, is $9.4 million for 2023-24, not factoring in revenues. The overall spending package for the current year is $7.7 million, not including revenues. It is an increase of $1.7 million.
The new budget will go into effect on July 1.
Commissioners have the sole authority over employee compensation and do not have to give the employees a 5% wage increase.
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